It’s Friday and it’s Cinco de Mayo, so who’s ready for a fiesta? I know I am! The weather is finally turning around here in Minnesota (we had SNOW on May 1st – it was a cruel joke) and I am ready for some good food, good drinks, and time on our porch with friends. With those things in mind, this week’s Good Food Reads is full of recipes for your Cinco de Mayo Celebration, a relaxing weekend gathering and a few other great finds. Oh, but before you plan your menu, better check out this Washington Post article on the current avocado shortage. Say it isn’t so! …

I’ve always been a voracious reader (and eater, truth be told) and when e-readers first came out, I swore up and down that nothing – nothing! – would ever replace a physical book in my mind. I loved the feel of them in my hand, the smell of the paper, and seeing them stacked up on my bookshelves. Well, fast forward a few short years later and my kindle is one of my very favorite things. I love having so many books at my fingertips and not having to carry so many heavy books when I travel. The one thing it hasn’t replaced? My cookbooks. I will confess that I probably have a bit of a cookbook addiction. I love them. I read them like novels, pouring over the beautiful photos and stuffing bits of colorful post-it notes onto the pages of recipes I want to try. Growing up, my grandmother had the most impressive collection of cookbooks I’ve ever seen and I’m fairly certain my love of cookbooks comes straight from her. Some of the best books her in collection? Small town church cookbooks. Those little gems are filled with home cooking treasures and I love to read them for inspiration from fellow home cooks. This week’s recipe for Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad was inspired by a recipe for curried cauliflower I found in just such a cookbook. …

I just returned from a lovely vacation in the Arizona desert. It was filled with sunshine, wonderful family time, and (of course) some seriously good food. As I attempt to reset my diet – and (let’s be honest) reintroduce vegetables to my body! – I am craving all of that amazing southwest food we indulged in. So, with that being said you’ll have to forgive the slightly spicy bent to today’s Good Food Reads. What can I say? I’ve got big, bold flavors on the brain and I’m not feeling sad about it.

Like I mentioned, I’m attempting to dial back the indulgences this week while keeping all of that amazing flavor. I was so excited to find this recipe from Cooking Light for Chicken and Poblano Stew with Polenta. This recipe has chipotles in adobo, which is one of my favorite ingredients, but also roasted poblanos so the smoky heat should be amazing.

Breakfast Tacos Al Pastor, via Half Baked Harvest. Because there’s no reason that my current cravings should stop at breakfast! Also, they have pineapple in them. GENIUS.

And because I can’t stop, won’t stop: Carne Asada Burrito Bowls. This recipe does require a little advanced prep with the steak marinade, but they payoff should be worth it. I’m planning to double the recipe and bring some bowls to work this weekend!

You know I can’t resist a good sheet pan recipe. This week I really want to this recipe for Sheet Pan Roasted Jambalya. There is just something about those pictures full of wonderfully bright vegetables and fresh shrimp that I can’t stop thinking about!

Another batch prep for me this week: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup. Even though things are starting to warm up here in Minnesota (hellooooo spring!), I’m still loving soup. This gorgeous soup from Dana at Minimalist Baker is vegan and gluten free. Plus, it uses coconut milk and dill for a little something extra. YUM.

As I noted earlier, I’m trying to up my vegetable game this week but I’m just not feeling my usual salads. I’m hoping to try these Sweet Chili Roasted Brussels Sprouts tonight. The mix of sweet chili and soy sauces is right up my alley!

Ok, admittedly, this Strawberry Almond Tea Cake recipe has absolutely nothing to do with my recent travels/cravings and everything to do with the arrival of strawberry season and the crazy gorgeous photos from Broma Bakery.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s Good Food Reads. I’m off to make some yummy food and dream of the warm dessert evenings. Send us your tips, tricks, and favorite recipes – we’d love to include them here on Good Food Reads!

Another Friday has come and that means a new edition of Good Food Reads. With Easter only a few days away, we have a few holiday themed recipes (of course) but we also have some recipes for the post-holiday hangover. I don’t know about you, but after all the busy prep for big holiday meals, I find myself avoiding the kitchen for a few days. As a result, I love to have some easy, prep ’em and leave ’em type recipes in my pocket to get my family fed and keep my sanity intact. Here’s hoping you enjoy our picks for Good Food Reads as much as we have enjoyed finding them!

After two vacations in the last two months, I’m feeling the need to focus a little more on whole foods and less carbs (gulp). I’m thinking these Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps will make a satisfying meal that doesn’t feel like diet food! I’m also looking forward to trying the Spring Detox Cauliflower Salad from Pinch of Yum.

Friends, that’s it for this week’s Good Food Reads. I’m off to enjoy the holiday weekend with family. For those who celebrate, Happy Easter. And for those who just enjoy an abundance of Peeps and Cadbury eggs, happy eating.

Well, it’s been a crazy few days around here. As many of you know, Lane spent the last week in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. In a fun twist of fate, we actually had booked overlapping trips and had great plans for a fun dinner out in the land of sunshine. Unfortunately, I was caught up in the spectaular Delta scheduling debacle last weekend and my flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix was ultimately cancelled and we didn’t make it to Arizona in time to reschedule. I decided to drown my sorrows in some baked goods. Enter: Lemon Rosemary Shortbread.
…

I’m going to be very honest with you. There is no real theme for this week’s Good Food Reads. And I’m 100 percent ok with that. What we do have is a collection of really good recipes from around the blogging world to hopefully fill your kitchens this weekend. I’m gearing up for a busy work weekend so I’ve selfishly included a number of easily portable, healthy salads. Similarly, I am planning to reinstate meatless Monday at my house and so I’ve dug up a tasty looking vegetarian soup recipe that I’m excited to try. What are you cooking this weekend? Here’s my wish list:

Just like our Maple Granola, this tropical version is easy to assemble and uses common ingredients found in any grocery store. Our recipe features dried pineapple, mango, papaya, and bananas but feel free to go wild and add or subtract ingredients that fit your family’s tastes. In addition to the fruits, we’ve tossed in some chopped up macadamia nuts for good fats and a bit more indulgent flavor, but the granola is equally good with cashews! A handful of unsweetened coconut mixed in at the end of baking adds a bit of color and a light, tropical flavor without extra sugar. One word of caution: do not be tempted to mix the coconut in at the beginning. It will definitely burn! …

Oh, dear foodie friends. We have such goodness for you in this latest installment of Good Food Reads! As usual, we have scoured the internet and found a collection recipes and articles that are inspiring us currently and can’t wait to share them with you. Ready? I thought so. Here. We. Go….

Continuing my love affair with the InstantPot: Life Changing InstantPot Beef Stew from the lovely Lindsay at Pinch of Yum. Since we’re still working our way slowly into spring over here in Minnesota, this

Patio season is going to be here soon and I’m collecting cocktail recipes for entertaining. The latest addition to my list? The Ginger Rogers from Broma Bakery. With fresh ginger, grapefruit, and gin, how could it not be perfect?

Hey friends. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Are you celebrating today? Will you wear green? I will fully admit that I’m feeling a little blogger guilt about not having a totally Irish or green themed post for you today (#bloggerfail!) but we’re going to march forward with a bunch of Good Food Reads anyway, ok? Ok. I promise we do have some last minute St. Patrick’s Day themed recipe links for you, but for those who are not super into the holiday (that would be me, too!), we also have some great non-holiday foodie finds. You know, in case you don’t want to live on corned beef and green beer for the next week! …

It has been one crazy winter here in Minneapolis. For the first time in nearly 50 years, Seattle had more snow than we did and it’s going to be 60 degrees (again!) in a few days. I’m definitely not complaining as I am a winter fan only from Thanksgiving to just after New Years. As the weather has warmed, I’ve found myself searching out the first flavors of spring: rhubarb, asparagus, and all the fresh veggies. Get ready people, because this week’s Good Food Reads is chock full of spring veggie goodness. Happy Reading!…